The Industrial Look

The industrial style for interiors has recently become a love of mine; all the exposed materials really give you an insight into how things are made and gives a slightly more edgy feel. I feel it is a look that is best left minimal which can be hard if your a lover of texture and prints. It is also a look which is hard to make cozy and homely. I am by no means an interior expert but I have put together a few of my favourite ways people have styled an industrial themed room and some of my favourite pieces.

Firstly, the materials you use makes a massive difference. If going industrial the best materials will be metals and woods, really basic materials that may have gone rusty or look slightly older are best. I love the materials in this picture; the what looks like glass tiles are each unique and interesting, they all look different even though they are made of the same thing.

Bedrooms:

A lot of industrial themed rooms are in warehouses or old converted factories which adds to the industrial feel but you can still get a similar look no matter where you live, you could try having concrete floors or ceilings, exposed brick, white walls or bare floor boards. To style a bedroom try metal lighting instead of fabric or fancy chandeliers, to me this can make the look look too fussy but it can be effective in some rooms. To make it cozy-er, pile on woollen blankets and minimalistic style cushions with white or grey duvet and pillow sheets.

For bedside tables you could try some DIY! My favourite is stacking up old vintage suitcases together, not only have you got a lot more storage but it really adds to the industrial or even vintage style depending on how you refurbish them. For my bedroom I have used 3 different sized leather and wooden suitcases, I brought them at a vintage warehouse. The largest is at the bottom, in a sage green colour which is made of plywood, I brought this for £5. The second is a little smaller in navy and is leather, it already had luggage labels on it which added so much character (£15). Then the smallest is in tan leather which I brought for £25. I couldn’t believe that the biggest suitcase was cheapest! but I much prefer the style of the smaller one to any others of a similar style. I then refurbished them, cleaned them all up and fixed any damages and added some ‘exotic destination’ luggage tags.

Larger paintings, photos and quotes look amazing in industrial themed bedrooms, you will find that most designers will do this because it adds so much character and some colour to the room which you wouldn’t find in a traditional industrial space. The photo below is my favourite take on the look, the massive metal windows, the crisp white walls and the cultural touches really finish it off. It looks personal, interesting, cozy and industrial. They have used very earthy tones which can be seen in many industrial schemes and a wooden stool as a bedside table makes it look very minimal. Not sure where I would keep all the I-probably-dont-need-stuff though!

Living rooms:

Tips:

Keep it neutral with earthy tones.

A brick fireplace will make it look cozy yet industrial.

Also to add to the coziness, scatter around neutral blankets made of wool or similar to the picture above.

I haven’t found many good photos for living rooms or other areas of the house which is strange, I imagine kitchens to look amazing with an industrial theme, a restaurant, called the cozy club, has an amazing industrial interior, I particularly loved the tables and the lighting!

What are your thoughts on the industrial theme? aAre you thinking of recreating this style? if so please send me pictures on twitter, i would love to see your takes on the look!